Watch virtually any American drama and if there’s a scene where a character (usually a man), opens a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky, nine times out of ten it will be The Macallan.
If the point is to emphasise the character’s wealth then it will undoubtedly be a bottle of the 30-year-old, which you’ll be pleased to hear can be bought in Harrods for a mere £4,800.
The Macallan’s domination of the American single malt market – and its elevation to the international luxury goods market – has taken fifty years, and was achieved through a combination of canny marketing to affluent customers, product placement and a focus on casks that have previously held other wines and spirits, which imbue their single malts with a rich, fruity and distinctive character.
But the success of The Macallan also speaks to a broader truth – that when it comes to producing approachable, crowd-pleasing single malt, then whisky from Speyside leads the field.
Scotch whisky is produced across five whisky regions – Campbeltown, Highland, Islay, Lowland and Speyside, an area centred around the River Spey, which winds down from the Highlands to the shores of the Moray Firth.
It’s home to the greatest concentration of distilleries in Scotland, and arguably the most iconic distilleries in the world – not only The Macallan, but Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Glenlivet (which was the first distillery to export single malt to the US after prohibition).
What Does Speyside Whisky Taste Like?
Because the region is on the east of the country, it’s sheltered from the rain that sweeps in from the Atlantic, resulting in a relatively warm and dry climate that’s ideal for growing barley. The water from the Spey is soft and mineral rich, helping to produce whisky that’s smooth and complex, with signature flavours including orchard fruits, vanilla, cream and floral notes – a luxurious character which has a legion of fans. But within the region, there’s also great variation, from light, glasslike malts to rich and heavy fruit bombs.
Most Speyside whisky is unpeated, meaning that instead of using peat smoke to dry the barley, hot air is used, helping to retain notes of apple, vanilla and honey without imparting a smoky flavour.
(While peated whisky is superb, it can be divisive, and is rarely what attracts beginners. There are exceptions, but if you prefer fruit, honey and vanilla to pronounced smoke, Speyside is a particularly good place to start.)
Then there’s Speyside’s fondness for using ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks to mature the whisky. Bourbon casks impart vanilla and caramel notes, while sherry gives fruit, nuts and spices, and careful use of these is used by master distillers to develop a complex character.
The ex-sherry casks have been used since the 19th century, as merchants used them to ship Xerez wine to Scotland, but the adoption of ex-bourbon casks is a much more recent phenomenon, beginning in the 1940s when there was a glut of cheap, used barrels in America.
Bourbon casks began to flood into Scotland, but sherry casks were still widespread until 1981, when the Spanish introduced a law stipulating that all sherry had to be bottled in Spain. Almost overnight, the ready supply of sherry casks evaporated. And while sherry casks are still bought from producers in Spain – particularly by the likes of The Macallan – an estimated 90% of all Scotch whisky is now matured in ex-bourbon barrels.
6 Supermarket Speyside Whiskies to Try Now
Together, they show just how much variety there is within the region, from lighter, fruitier malts to richer, sherry-led styles. [Prices correct at time of publication]
Glenfiddich 15-year-old single malt
Glenfiddich is the best-selling whisky in the world and this 15-year-old shows why. Using new oak and sherry casks for maturation, this dram is full of warm spice and rich fruit, with a lovely honey finish.
Sainsbury’s – £53.50 Shop
Glenmorangie ‘The Original’ 12-year-old single malt
Another Speyside behemoth, Glenmorangie has recently made a tilt at the American market, even partnering with Harrison Ford for a limited addition malt. There’s a great consistency across their range, and this distinctive, orange-labelled whisky is their original bottling, first released 175 years ago, and still delivering luscious stone fruit, vanilla and a gorgeous hint of orange.
Sainsbury’s £41.50 Shop
Aberlour 12-year-old single malt
This is a double cask matured Speyside – meaning it’s been matured in both American oak (which imparts a lot of vanilla character), and ex-sherry casks. This has toffee and marzipan on the nose, while the palate is soft, easy-drinking and uncomplicated – the perfect whisky for a mid-week dram.
Tesco £42 Shop
Tamnavulin double cask single malt
Located on the banks of the River Livet and one of Speyside’s newer distilleries, Tamnavulin is known for producing affordable, fruit-forward whisky. This bottle has notes of brown sugar, black fruits and apple with a nice spicey finish.
Asda £35 Shop
Ben Bracken Speyside single malt
This is part of a range of whiskies sold by Lidl under the Ben Bracken brand (others include the Islay and Highland). No age is stated for this entry-level bottle, which gives vanilla and banana on the nose, with raisin and cinnamon on the palate. For the price, this is a good introduction to Speyside.
Lidl [see in store for price] Shop
Balvenie Doublewood 12-year-old single malt
The most expensive whisky in our line-up, this 12-year-old comes from a distillery renowned for its commitment to traditional whisky making. It grows and malts its own barley and even employs coopers to make its barrels. This whisky spends twelve years in traditional casks, some of which are ex-bourbon, before being moved to ex-Oloroso sherry barrels for a further nine months, imparting a gentle sweetness to the honeyed malt.
Waitrose £56 Shop
New to whisky? A few more things you might want to know.
Is it Speyside whisky or Speyside whiskey?
Speyside whisky is correct. Whisky made in Scotland is spelled without an ‘e’, while ‘whiskey’ is generally used in Ireland and the United States. So although you may see the term “Speyside whiskey” used online, whisky produced in Speyside is Scotch whisky.
What is the difference between Scotch and whisky?
Whisky is the broader category of spirit, while Scotch is whisky made in Scotland according to specific production and ageing rules. All Scotch is whisky, but not all whisky is Scotch. Speyside whisky is therefore Scotch whisky, as Speyside is one of Scotland’s five whisky regions.
How should you drink Speyside whisky?
There’s no single correct way to drink Speyside whisky. Try it neat first to get a sense of its fruit, spice and sweetness, then add a few drops of water if you like – this can soften the alcohol and reveal different aromas and flavours. Ice is entirely a matter of preference, although chilling whisky can mute some of its more delicate aromas.
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